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Staying active through every step of life is a great way to maintain the best possible mental and physical health. When you live in a long-term care or retirement living home, staying active can look different for everyone. No matter how you approach physical activity, it is important to prioritize it. Staying active can impact your mental health, maintain weight, reduce your health risks, keep bones and muscles strong, and improve or maintain your ability to do everyday activities.

When you make staying active part of your everyday life in a long-term care or retirement residence, you’ll understand its impact on your mental and physical wellbeing instantly. Regular physical activity is known to improve memory and reduce risk of anxiety and depression. These traits of mental and physical wellbeing will have a domino effect in the overall enjoyment of this chapter of your life. Transitioning into a long-term care or retirement residence can come with its challenges as life’s big changes affect your habits and hobbies, but don’t let it stop you from finding some joyful movement in this new space!

Some may find it challenging to stay active due to social, physical, or educational limitations. When you’re adjusting to a new change in life, like a new home, surroundings, or way of living, it can be difficult to maintain motivation to keep moving. Not to mention, everyone has a different ability and intention when it comes to staying active, and finding the right movement that works best for you and your lifestyle can take some time and trial.

There are many different forms of physical activity that you can explore while living in a long-term care or retirement residence. We have seen residents flourish in their friendships and physical activity within our homes at Omni — here are some of the most recommended and successful ways to stay active:

Lots of walking

Walking is one of the best ways to fit in daily exercise without overdoing it. Especially if the weather is good enough to get outside, it can do wonders for your physical and mental health to get some fresh air and some steps in each day. Some folks prefer to walk inside when concerned with potential walking hazards. We often see residents creating schedules with their friends, family, or neighbours to go for walks together. Not only is this a great way to stay accountable to your movement, but it can also act as a great way to stay social, see new sights, and enjoy nature!

Staying social

Socializing is an important aspect of every human life, and it can motivate physical activity in small but mighty ways. Not only is it proven to help with mental stimulation, which in turn will help you with your overall motivation and longevity of health, but it is also a wonderful tool to stay accountable and excited about movement. You can learn different ways of staying active from your friends and family, especially from other residents within your long-term care or retirement residence, and share your tips and tricks with them, too.

Events and activities

Events and activities are one of the many perks of long-term care and retirement residences. There is dedicated staff that curates unique and friendly experiences for residents to get outside of their homes, socialize, and often move around. Events can be weekly, monthly, or one-off experiences that encourage residents to try new things, touching on the importance of maintaining a socializing schedule while introducing fun into the mix. Most long-term care and retirement residences are keenly aware of the importance for consistent movement and physical activities for their residents, and therefore maintain a diverse and fun-filled activity schedule to allow residents to access group classes and exercises. Often modified for varying mobilities and accessibility, these workout options provide a supported and safe environment to get in some movement. Some folks find it easier to get active with a group of people that you feel comfortable around, such as your neighbors and friends within the residence.

Any type of movement is good movement, as long as you’re staying safe and having fun while doing it. When you live in a long-term care or retirement residence, maintaining an active lifestyle will impact your overall health and quality of life while you explore this new chapter. If you’re curious about activities and recreational programs at Omni, contact us for more information.